someone referred to this as my “Last interview,” which is literally correct and now making the day quite ominous and urgent. they should always be the latter, so I ought to get over the former. By the way, aside from anything else, Jonathan Last ought to get some kind of award for the title of his book, What to Expect When No One’s Expecting: America’s Coming Demographic Disaster. Read more
This comes from a November 2010 audience where Pope Benedict XVI was talking up a woman, Catherine of Siena. Like with everything B16, it is all worth reading, but don’t let this day end without meditating on his closer: Dear brothers and sisters, let us learn from St Catherine to love Christ and the Church with courage, intensely and sincerely. Therefore let us make our own St Catherine’s words that we read in the Dialogue of Divine Providence at the... Read more
Also from May 2011: The human being of all times prays because he cannot fail to wonder about the meaning of his life, which remains obscure and discomforting of it is not put in relations to the mystery of God and if his plan for the world. Human life is a fabric woven of good and of evil, of undeserved suffering and of joy and beauty that spontaneously and irresistibly impel us to ask God for that light and that... Read more
From May 2011: Our entire lives are like this long night of struggle and prayer, spent in desiring and asking for God’s blessing, which cannot be grabbed or won through our own strength but must be received with humility from him as a gratuitous gift that ultimately allows us to recognize the Lord’s face. And when this happens, our entire reality changes; we receive a new name and God’s blessing. And, what is more: Jacob, who receives a new name,... Read more
A friend shared earlier today that her young son asked if he could start Lent over again. Indeed! We’ll fall, but we can get back up! Knowing we are failing, wanting to be better, means we know we need a Savior. And thanks be to God we have one. On Sunday we heard the Gospel about the temptation in the desert. A priest in Washington State reflects: the Church places before us St. Luke’s version of the temptation of Christ.... Read more
From one of the great teachers, Fr. James Schall, in his Another Sort of Learning: Seeking is what life is about, this life that we are given, and we begin our search from our own insufficiency. But we are not alone, and this is testified to by the many men and women who have gone before us, those who did not live in our own time or in our own place. Sometimes we can find our way because others have... Read more
A priest poses them, after a reflection you might take the time to read and meditate on for a few moments during this busy day: It is Lent 2013, Tuesday of the first week. How’s your prayer going? How’s mine? It is this turning to God that is so utterly crucial in our world today, racked by petty politics and self-seeking, by unmanned drones and death panels and folly of all kinds. Dorothy Day prayed, and gave her life to... Read more
I was going to send some friends the beautiful text on serving the poor in Monday’s Magnificat, but I never wound up sending that. Subscribe to Magnifcat! You won’t be disappointed with what you find there. I wasn’t trying to be stingy though, that wasn’t my reason for holding back. It’s that I found what comes before today’s Magnifcat entry, in the original text. And if you read it, it might change the course of your Lenten day today. It... Read more
One of my favorite responses to the pope’s news Monday came from the Knights of Columbus. It was a prayer. O Lord Jesus Christ, Supreme Pastor of Your Church, we thank you for the ministry of Pope Benedict XVI and the selfless care with which he has led us as Successor of Peter, and Your Vicar on earth. Good Shepherd, who founded Your Church on the rock of Peter’s faith and have never left Your flock untended, look with love... Read more
I love this video from Monday: George Weigel keeps his eye on the prize here. This is a good model of communicating in uncertain times, subtly and clearly communicating Gospel truth with fraternal love. That’s what we’ve been trying to do with Catholic Voices USA — help people who love the Catholic Church do just that. (I talk with my sister in the project, Kim Daniels, about rebuilding a Catholic culture, too, here. And I talk with one of our... Read more
Kathryn Lopez
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